BWW TV: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Celebrates 9000th Performance on Broadway!

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA reached another new milestone as musical became the first Broadway show ever to reach 9,000 performances. The occasion was marked with a special presentation during the 2PM matinee's curtain call. Now in its phenomenal 22nd Year, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production, directed by Harold Prince, continues to play at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), with no end in sight.

On Broadway, since its debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed $740 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Total attendance is over 13 million. Its international success - equally staggering - is represented by total worldwide grosses estimated at over $5 billion. This colossal figure makes PHANTOM the most successful entertainment venture of all time, surpassing not only any other stage production, but also far surpassing the world's highest-grossing film Titanic (at $1.2 billion) and such other blockbusters as The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park and Star Wars. Worldwide, over 65,000 performances have been seen by 100 million people in 27 countries and 144 cities.

Since becoming the longest-running show in Broadway history in 2006 (when it surpassed the then-record run of Cats), every performance has set a new longevity record. The show has always been a record-breaker, with the New York production setting benchmarks that have dominated the industry: for capitalization (a then-spectacular $8 million), total advance (a then-colossal $18 million), total gross and attendance (now a whopping $740 million and 13 million, and counting) and even the number of years before a single ticket was ever sold at the TKTS ticket booth in Times Square (over 14 years, which is still the record, by a long shot). It was also the first and remains the only Broadway show to reach 18, 19, 20 and 21 Years, as well as 8,000 performances - and now continues its long tradition of shattering records by becoming the first show ever to play 9,000 performances.

The Broadway production is the winner of 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical.

There are currently ten productions around the world: London, New York, Budapest (Hungary), Nagoya (Japan), Warsaw (Poland), Copenhagen (Denmark), Seoul (Korea), Buenos Aires (Argentina), the U.S. National Tour and a revised production in Las Vegas at The Venetian.

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber earlier this year confirmed that he has greenlit pre-production on a sequel to the show, Phantom: Love Never Dies.

Based on the classic novel by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath The catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.

The performance schedule for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is Monday evenings at 8 PM, Tuesday evenings at 7PM, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8 PM, with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 PM. Ticket prices range from $26.50 - $121.50 with Premium Tickets also available. To order tickets visit telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200.

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About Author

Eddie Varley was most recently seen as one of the stars of the Lifetime Television Series, MATCHED IN MANHATTAN.

On the New York stage he was a cast member of the long running hit musical revue INTO THE WEEDS: The Bill Weeden Songbook at the Laurie Beechman Theater. Eddie received critical acclaim for his role of Jameson in the New York and Los Angeles Productions of Joe Mortimer's GRAPEFRUIT. As a cast member of the New Vic Theatre of London, he toured both the UK and US in their productions of DRACULA, HUNCHBACK and THE CANTERBURY TALES. He spent several Holiday seasons at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino's Showroom Theater headlining with performers such as the legendary Mickey Rooney, Andrea McArdle and John Byner. An accomplished illustrator, his work can be found in the recent McGraw Hill release, WHY HASN'T HE CALLED?